"A Religion of Nature; A Religion of Equality; The Religion of the Witches" November 28, 2006
The purpose of this presentation is to give an overview of the Wiccan religion, therefore , although, it covers many aspects of the Wiccan religion, such as its origin, long history, and practices and beliefs, it does not cover all aspects of the Wiccan religion nor could such a small presentation adequately do so.
Wicca‟s origin lies in an ancient indigenous religion of life and nature from Paleolithic times that predates Christianity by around 28,000 years Wicca has been influenced heavily by other religions of its time, Buddhism, Hinduism, and a widespread witch-cult of early modern Europe Surprisingly Wicca has had much more influence on Christianity then Christianity on Wicca Due to severe persecution, known as the “Burning Times”, by Christians of Medieval Europe, the early Wiccans were forced to move underground where they continued to practice their faith in secrecy During the “Burning Times” it is estimated that millions of men, women and children were hanged, drowned, and burned as accused witches, so it is not surprising that neither them nor their faith would reappear until 1954
Gerald Gardner is credited for re-introducing the world to the Wiccan religion. A British civil servant, Mr. Gardner, got permission from his High Priestess, Doreen Valiente, to write several books on witchcraft – “High Magic‟s Aid” a fictional novel revealing some of the „old religions‟ beliefs in 1949, ”Witchcraft Today” which describes additional details about the faith, such as rituals, symbols, and magick in 1954, and “The Meaning of Witchcraft” which details the history of Wicca in Northern Europe in 1960 Although credited for re-introducing the world to Wicca, Mr. Gardner cannot take full credit, because his High Priestess, Doreen Valiente, helped to re-introduce it, and his works were derived from earlier works by Charles Leland(1824-1903), a prolific author and folklorist who founded the Gypsy Lore Society, and Margaret Murray(1863-1963).
Gerald Gardner(1884-1964) Founder of modern day Wicca Founder of Gardnerian Wicca
Doreen Valiente(1922-1999) Cofounder of modern day Wicca Author of Many Books on Wicca
Modern Wicca was brought to America by one of Gerald Gardner‟s students, a former Gardnerian Wicca, Raymond Buckland (a.k.a Uncle Bucky) in 1960 With the help of America, through Raymond Buckland and several other authors including Scott Cunningham, the printed word, and word of mouth the interest in Wicca soon outpaced the mostly British-based covens ability to train and initiate new Wicca This in turn led to the branching off of the Wiccan religion into multiple branches or traditions from the late 1960s to the 1980s One of the more important traditions that was established during the Wicca‟s 1960s through 1980s boom was the Dianic (feminist) Wicca, for unlike other traditions of Wicca the Dianic tradtion allowed same gender initiation into a coven, self initiation into a coven, and it also allowed Wiccans to practice as solitary Wicca
Raymond Buckland Founder of the Seax-Wica tradition of Wicca
Scott Cunningham Key Player in Opening Up Wicca to Solitary Practice
By the early 1980s the Wiccan were once again persecuted by the general public as they were falsely associated with Satanist and the worship of Satan by several Fundamentalist Christian Organizations In recent years there has been reports of shootings, threats, craftfriendly homes and stores being vandalized, one public mass stoning, and one lynching, plus many child protection agents have erroneously removed children from the home of known wiccan Today many countries around the world recognize the Wiccan religion as a legally recognized religion. In 1985, as a result of Dettmer v. Landon, 617 F. Supp. 592, the District Court of Virginia found the Wiccan religion to be a legally recognized religion, and this was afffirmed in 1986 by Judge. J. Butzner of the Federal Appeals Court forth circuit (799 F 2d 929, 1986) A group of conservative Christian legislators, Rep. Robert S. Walker (R-PA), Senator Jesse Helms (R-NC), Rep. Richard T. Schulze (R-PA), and Rep. Joe Barton (R-TX), introduced legislation that would strip Wiccan of their legal rights in 1985, but all of these efforts fizzled with the close of the 99th Session of Congress in 1986
Since the mid 1990s outlook for the wiccan have improved, so more and more Wicca are revealing their faith Wicca is the fastest growing religion in the world; It doubles in size every 18 months There is currently, in America alone, over 19 traditions (branches) of the Wiccan religion, and including the members of those traditions there is estimated to be over 750,000 practicing Wiccan in the US If the Wiccan religion continues its current growth it will be the 3 rd largest religion in the US by 2012
First and foremost! Wiccans do not worship Satan, nor do they believe in other Judeo-Christian concepts such as original sin, vicarious atonement, divine judgment, bodily resurrection, and heaven and hell The Wiccan religion is a naturalistic earth-centric religion that teaches one to love, respect, and honor all life, and to strive for peace, harmony, and equality for all Wiccans respect the great forces of nature, celebarte the cycles of the seasons and the moon, and are strong supporters of the environment, equal rights, global peace and religious freedom Wiccans have no central religious doctrine or authority, nor do they actively recruit or try to convert followers to their religion Wiccans have two core ethical beliefs, the Wiccan Rede or „rule‟ that states “An it harm none, do what thou wilt”, and the Law of Threefold Return that states “Three times what thou givest returns to thee” Wiccans believe in an intensified karma, which helps to keep individual Wicca inline with their teachings, and reincarnation
Although most Wiccans worship the Triple Goddess of the Moon (the Maiden, the Mother, and the Crone) and the Horned God of the Wilds (the Holly King and the Oak King) they truly believe in only one unknowable God, “the One”, for the Triple Goddess of the Moon and the Horned God of the Wilds are one in the same; they are merely parts of “the One” Wiccans believe that through the presence of the divine in all - the moon, the sun, the earth, the sky, men, women, plants, and animals – that they have some magickal control over their environment Annually Wiccans meet on nights of the full moon, new moon, or both, known as Esbats, and they also meet for eight great festivals or holidays, known as Sabbats Structurally the Wiccan religion is made up of various traditions (branches/denominations) that worship in covens of 13 or less Wicca. If the ideal size of a coven, 13, is exceeded the coven will hive off into separate but connected covens and continue to worship together as a grove
Individual Wicca have at least 5 handmade ceremonial tools , one to represent each of the elements (fire, earth, air, water) and a Book of Shadows Wiccan ceremonial tools are handmade, because by hand making them the individual Wicca empowers it with their own energy Which ceremonial tools an Individual Wicca uses is dictated by his or her coven
Athame – Double-edged ritual dagger with a black hilt used to cast circles of protection, banish negative energey and charge and consecrate objects (Fire/Air)
Pentacle – A round solid disk made from stone, wood, or copper with a pentagram either carved into it or drawn onto it. (earth) Wand – Wands are made of wood and sometimes topped with a crystal or gem. A tool of invocation wands are used to charge objects, bestow blessings, draw down the moon during rituals and celebrations, and evoke the God and Goddess (Fire/Air)
Censor – Used to burn incense during rituals and celebrations (Air)
Chalice – The chalice is a Symbol of both containment and the womb of the Goddess. The chalice also is used to hold blessed water or wine during rituals (water) Bolline – Double-edged general purpose kife with a white hilt used for general purposes such as collecting herbs. Bollines are not used for magickal purposes (No Elemental Association)
Besom/Broom – Besoms are used to purify rituals and celebration areas by symbolically sweeping away negative energies. Besoms are also used to protect against evil curses and psychic attacks (No Elemental Association)
Bell – A tool of invocation bells are used to banish negative influeneces at the beginning of rituals (No Elemental Association) Cauldron – Cauldrons are used in the making of brews and potions, and for the making of small fires for certain magickal spells. Cauldrons can also be used for divination purposes by filling it with water and staring into its depths (water) Book of Shadows – A Wiccas Book of Shadows is a handwritten copy of his or her teachers Book of Shadows, which includes coven/tradition rules, ritual guidelines, invocation methods, spells, runes, symbols, poems, chants, and anything else that a Wicca may need to worship properly. Once a Wicca has copied his teachers Book of Shadows he or she can then add any additional information that he or she finds useful (No Elemental Association)
Unlike many believe a Wiccan Pentacle does not represent Satan; it is instead their most sacred symbol, a symbol of protection, and it represents the four elements of nature, fire, earth, air, and water, as well as spirituality
Wiccan Sabbats are made up of 4 greater sabbats, which are agricultural festivals, that take place when the seasons are at their peak and 4 lesser sabbats, which are solar festivals (equinoxes and solstices), that take place when one season is changing to the next Wiccan Sabbats can be traced back to ancient times and are normally represented by a 8 spoke wheel known as the “Wheel of the Year” All Wiccan Sabbats are celebrated at night, with the exception of Beltane, and are just that celebrations, so no magick will be performed during Sabbats unless emergency healing is desperately needed As with all Wiccan worship Sabbats are celebrated outside under the sun, which is a representation of the Horned God of the Wilds, and the moon, which is a representation of Triple Goddess of the Moon. Ritual attire runs from skyclad to jeans and a t-shirt and is delegated by the Wiccas coven While worshipping Wiccans will assemble in a circle and face one another for within all is the divine After worship Wiccans will gather for food and drinks
Yule – A lesser sabbat, Yule takes place on December 21 (Winter Solstice) and celebrates the fact that the Triple Goddess (as Mother) has given birth to the Oak King (the first persona of the Horned God, which represents light and day). Additional traditions during Yule include the Yule log, Yule tree, and lit candles until morning. The origins of the Christian holiday Christmas lies in Yule. Yule is the longest night of the year Imbolc (a.k.a Brigit and Candlemas) – A greater sabbat, Imbolc takes place on Groundhog Day February 2 (Winters Peak) and celebrates love, friendship, the coming of spring, and the fact that the Oak King is falling in love with the Triple Goddess as she begins to transition from Mother to Maiden. The origins of both St. Valentine‟s Day and Saint Brigit, the “Patron Saint of Smithcraft, Poetry and Healing”, lie in Imbolc
Spring (a.ka. Ostara and Eostre) – A lesser sabbat, Ostara takes place on March 21 (Spring Equinox) and celebrates love, passion, and the fact that the Oak King as an adult and the Triple Goddess as Maiden have conceived a child; he will be born in exactly 9 months on Yule. The origins of the name of the Christian holiday Easter, Easter Eggs, and the Easter Bunny lie in Ostara. Both eggs and rabbits are pagan symbols of fertility. On Ostara day and night are equal Beltane – A greater sabbat, Beltane takes place on May 1 (Springs Peak) and celebrates the coming of the summer crops, fertility, life, and the fact that the Triple Goddess begins to show her pregnancy
Midsummer – A lesser sabbat, Midsummer takes place on June 21 (Summer Solstice) and celebrates success, love, and the fact that the Triple Goddess and the Oak King are married. Also during Midsummer the Oak King is at his height, and he begins to battle internally with the Holly King (the second persona of the Horned God, which represents darkness and the night). Midsummer is the longest day of the year
Lughnasadh (a.k.a Lammas) – A greater sabbat, Lughnasadh takes place on August 1 (Summers Peak) and celebrates the first of the summer harvests and the Oak King (Day) as he slowly loses his battle with the Holly King (Night)
Autumn (a.ka. Mabon) – A lesser sabbat, Mabon takes place on September 21 (Autumn Equinox) and celebrates the last of the summer harvests. Also on Mabon the Oak King (Day) begins to rapidly lose his battle with the Holly King (Night). On Mabon most Wicca will begin to prepare for winter by baking bread, gathering herbs and canning foods. On Mabon day and night are once again equal Samhain - A greater sabbat, Samhain takes place on October 31 (Autumns Peak) and celebrates the autumn harvests. Also on Samhain the Oak King (Day) is commemorated as he is finally defeated by the Holly King (Night). On Samhain most Wicca will look back on what they did right and wrong during the previous year, and they will also make their new years resolutions
Esbats are the normal meetings that Wiccans attend with their covens, and they are used to not only worship “the One”, through the Triple Goddess of the Moon (Moon) and the Horned God of the Wilds (Sun), but also to perform magick, divination, healing, and the empowering or charging of objects, such as amulets, sachets, poppets (dolls), herbs, etc. Although ritual magick, divination, healing, and the empowering or charging of objects can be done at anytime it is most effective to complete these tasks during Esbats Esbat rituals are performed outside in the same way Sabbats are In addition to Sabbats and Esbats Wiccans also attend/perform Handfastings (Marriages), Handpartings (Divorces), Wiccanings (baptisms), Crossing the Bridge ceremonies (wakes) The first legally recognized Handfasting took place in Great Britain in 2004
Unlike the instant magic effects portrayed in cartoons, works of fantasy, and medieval demonology Wiccan magick is slow to work and operates in harmony with the natural laws Wiccan magick is used in various ways, such as for healing through meditation, poppets, and the casting of spells, when seeking guidance through meditation, scrying, and the casting of spells, when trying to predict the future through channeling, tarot cards, scrying, palmistry, tea-leaf reading, numerology, and astrology, and when trying to improve ones health, personal life, or financial status through the casting of spells Wiccans never use magick to force someone to do something or to harm someone; magick is only used in positive ways, and it is also only performed on willing recipients During the casting of spells Wicca use their various Wiccan tools, candles of various colors, empowered herbs, potions, and brews. In many cases, especially when creating amulets and sachets, magickal symbols and runes are also used
Some Wiccan Magickal Runes
Wiccan Symbolism of Colors
Some Wiccan Magickal Symbols
Color
White
Purpose
Purity, Truth, Sincerity
Red
Light Blue Dark Blue
Strength, Health, Vigor, Sexual Love
Tranquility, Understanding, Patience, Health Impulsiveness, Depression, Changeability
Green
Gold/Yellow
Finance, Fertility, Luck
Attraction, Persuasion, Charm, Confidence
Brown
Pink Black Purple Silver/Gray
Hesitation, Uncertainty, Neutrality
Honor, Love, Morality Evil, Loss, Discord, Confusion Tension, Ambition, Business Progress, Power Cancellation, Neutrality, Stalemate
Orange
Greenish-Yellow
Encouragement, Adaptability, Stimulation, Attraction
Sickness, Cowardice, Anger, Jealousy, Discord
Some Wiccan Magickal Herbs
Angelica (Angelica Archangelica) Folk Names: Archangel, Masterwort Powers: Exorcism, Protection, Healing, Visions Magical Uses: Wards off evil if sprinkled in the four corners of your house or around its perimeter. Removes curses, hexes, and any spells that have been cast against you when added to a bath. Medicinal Uses: Warms the body, Circulation stimulant, Digestive stimulant, Women‟s reproductive tonic Catnip (Nepeta Cataria) Folk Names: Cat, Catmint, Cat‟s Wort, Nip Powers: Cat Magick, Love, Beauty, Happiness Magical Uses: Attracts good spirits if hung over your homes door. Creates a bond between you and your cat if given to your cat. If you hold catnip in your hand until it warms, and then hold anyone else's hand; they will be your friend for as long as you keep the catnip used in the spell. Medicinal Uses: Digestive aid, Relieves indigestion, Nerve relaxant, Great for kids Celandine (Chelidonium Majus) Folk Names: Devil‟s Milk, Garden Celandine, Tetterwort, Swallow-Wort, Powers: Protection, Escape, Happiness, Legal Matters Magical Uses: Aids in escaping unwarranted imprisonment and entrapment. Imparts good spirits and joy, and cures depression when worn. Worn to court to win the favor of the judge or jury. Medicinal Uses: Fever reducer, Liver tonic and stimulant, Helps to alleviate jaundice, Gallbladder stimulant
Some Wiccan Magickal Herbs…
Hawthorn (Crataegus Oxacantha) Folk Names: Ladies Meat, May Bush, Thorn, Tree of Chastity Powers: Fertility, Chastity, Fishing Magick, Happiness Magical Uses: Enforces chastity and celibacy when placed around the bedroom or bed. Insures a good catch of fish if carried in a sachet during a fishing trip. Protects against lightning, evil spirits and evil spells when placed in ones home. Medicinal Uses: Cardiovascular tonic, Circulatory system tonic to veins and capillaries, Antioxidant, Helps to alleviate heart palpitations, arteriosclerosis, and astringent Mullein (Verbascum Thapus) Folk Names: Graveyard Dust, Hag‟s Tapers, Jupiter's Staff, Velvetback, Torches Powers: Courage, Protection, Health, Love Divination, Exorcism Magical Uses: Keeps wild animals from you if worn while hiking in untamed areas. Prevents you from catching a cold if placed in your shoes. Helps one to obtain love if carried. Guards against nightmares if placed under ones pillow. Medicinal Uses: Stimulates the expulsion and drying up of excessive fluid in the lungs through coughing, Helps to alleviate asthma, Can be used as a sedative Yarrow (Achillea Millefolium) Folk Names: Bad Mans Plaything, Death Flower, Eerie, Nosebleed, Wound Wort Powers: Courage, Love, Psychic Powers, Exorcism Magical Uses: Stops all fear and grants courage when held in ones hand. Ensures ones love will last at least seven years if hung over ones bed. Brings love, attracts friends when carried. Used to exorcise evil and negativity from a person, place, or thing. Medicinal Uses: Fever reducer, Warms the body, Helps to alleviate colds and flu's, Bitter digestive stimulant
In closing I would like to quote Ricky Franklin from his article “The Wicca Religion: Worship of the Goddess”, as what he says, not only reflects what I have read on many occasions while researching the Wiccan Religion, but it also reflects the purpose of my own presentation on the Wiccan religion:
“They (the Wiccans he interviewed for his article) did not force their religion (the Wiccan religion) on the author (Mr. Franklin), but instead tried to bring understanding…If others (such as Mr. Franklin) were willing to take an interest in a religion (any religion) other then their own, not to change religion, only to understand them, tolerance among different religions would be greatly increased.”
In other words: Just as you would never judge a person by what you‟ve heard; don‟t judge a religion by what you‟ve heard; instead judge it by your understanding of it.
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"Sabbats" Author Unknown http://groups.msn.com/TheHearthWitch/sabbats.m snw
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